CLINTON, S.C.-The Presbyterian College men's basketball used a 14-0 run in the last four minutes of the game to overtake the visiting Radford Highlanders and claim a 67-61 victory. Trailing by five points with 3:28 remaining in the game, the Blue Hose used back-back three pointers from Khalid Mutakabbir (Suwanee, Ga.) and Walt Allen (London, Ky.) to take a one point lead, and hit their free throws down the stretch to clench the win over the Highlanders.
PC was led by Jake Troyli's (Largo, Fla.) 21 points and six rebounds, while Mutakabbir chipped in 17 points and Allen contributed 14 points. In his first season start, Jay Reynolds (Maryville, Tenn.) played 32 minutes and grabbed three steals to go with his four points. The Blue Hose advance to 3-6 in Big South action and stand at 9-12 overall.
Radford was led by BlakeSmith's 13 points, and with the loss the Highlanders fall to 4-15 and 1-8 in the conference.
The Blue Hose held an early six point lead in the first half before Radford used an 8-0 run to take a 8-6 advantage at the 14:18 mark. The teams would trade baskets and the lead over the next 12 minutes, with neither team holding more than a five point lead until Radford sank a basket at 2:44 to go up 34-28.
PC, however, answered with a run of their own and used back to back three pointers by Allen to give the Blue Hose back a 36-34 lead with just under a minute remaining in the half. The Highlanders responded with a trey of their own to take a 37-36 lead into the locker rooms at half time.
To start the second half the teams again battled back and forth until Radford held a seven point lead, 47-40, with 13:12 left in the game. The Highlanders would extend their lead to as many as eight points over the next eight minutes, but Mutakabbir sank a three pointer at 4:44 to bring PC back within five points, 56-51. Radford's Blake Smith, who led the Highlanders with 13 points, made a layup on the next possession to extend RU's lead back to seven points.
The Blue Hose, however, erupted for a 14-0 run to claim a commanding 65-58 lead with 18 seconds left. After back to back three pointers from Mutakabbir and Allen, Mutakabbir sank two more field goals and Reynolds grabbed one of his three steals to regain possession for the Blue Hose. Pierre Miller (Warner Robbins, Ga.) was fouled and hit both of his free throws to extend the PC lead to 65-58. Radford hit a three pointer, but after being fouled on the inbound pass, Troyli again hit both free throws for PC to clinch the 67-61 win.
The Blue Hose return to action on Saturday, Jan. 29, when they face Winthrop at home. The game is the second feature of a double header, with tip-off at 7:30 p.m. following the women's basketball game against High Point.
